Here’s a guest post from my friend Tabitha Alloway who writes at Musings and Moments. Tabitha is a fellow homemaking, homeschooling wife, mother, and electrician–well, we don’t have that LAST part in common! She’s also a long-time family friend. Enjoy!

Have you ever started into a set of books by a particular author and found that before long you could predict the entire plot before you’d even cracked the next book open?

I remember a set like this from my teen years. I fell in love with the G. A. Henty historical fiction series, and for a while I devoured every book I could get.

But slowly I realized my interest was fading. Every book seemed to have the same plot; only the names, faces and times changed: Boy goes on adventures. Boy goes to war. Boy is captured. Boy escapes. Boy becomes hero. Boy meets girl. Boy settles down and lives happily ever after.

Sigh. Very idyllic.

And so predictably formulaic.

Now I’m not knocking the series—I still like the books and I’m looking forward to the day my kids can enjoy them. But it’s sometimes amusing (or annoying) to see an author embrace a seemingly one-track plot. A good writer is able to spin each story in such a way that, while it will always reflect their own unique style and voice, the story itself is fresh and new.

I think of God as a Master Writer, scripting the days and circumstances of our lives, inscribing our stories page by page. He’s the Master Composer, ordering the “rhythm and rhyme” of our lives as an ode of praise. He is the Potter who shapes our lives for our good and His glory.

While certain themes shine through every story He writes—goodness, mercy, grace, redemption or justice—each one is uniquely different.

Have you ever been tempted to question or wonder what God is doing in your life when you find yourself in difficult circumstances and trying times? Or even perhaps to envy the way God is working in the lives and circumstances of those around you, rather than humbly accepting what the Potter is doing in and with your life (see Jeremiah 18:1-6)?

I have. I’ve been tempted many times, when finding myself in less-than-ideal circumstances, to compare my lot with that of others and to envy God’s plan for and ordering of the lives of those around me.

One morning a couple of months back, feeling burdened and discouraged by the weight of recent trials, I poured my heart out to the Lord about it all. I opened the Word and my attention was drawn to the passages that spoke of giving thanksgiving, honor, worship, and praise to God; of investing our trust in Him because He is good. Not exactly the typical comforting passages you might expect. These precious words comforted by lifting my eyes.

I began to think of the stories of the saints of the Bible as well as the experiences of modern-day saints. No two are exactly the same! God works in such a wide variety of circumstances and ways to accomplish His will in each of His children’s lives.

Look at Hannah. She prayed for a child, and God blessed her with one. Yet many Christian wives through the ages have prayed with the same desperate desire for children and have been told “No.”

Jabez prayed that God would bless him and keep him from harm and pain. God granted His wish. Yet Job was permitted to experience unimaginable grief and pain in his lifetime.

Daniel was saved from the lions’ mouths. But many believers in the early centuries of the church were torn apart and eaten by wild beasts.

Under the reigns of David and Solomon, the saints and prophets rejoiced with gladness and singing. Under the reigns of Ahab and Manasseh, the saints and prophets suffered, and served their God in hard times and discouraging circumstances.

The apostle John lived a long life in service to Christ while Abel’s life was cut off prematurely.

Paul could have been tempted to envy the many believers around him who experienced miraculous, physical healings, while he himself was given a thorn in the flesh and denied its removal.

So many people. So many stories. All of them different.

Had God denied Hannah her wish, or Jabez his, would He still have been good? Would His people have continued to trust in Him? Was God’s work in the lives of Hannah, Daniel, and Jabez better, more kind, or wiser than in the lives of Job, or Jeremiah, or Paul?

According to Hebrews 11 we see that trust in God is not (and cannot be) rooted in our personal circumstances, but rather in the character of a faithful God Who is working in His children that which pleases Him, as He orders our lives for our good and His glory (see Romans 8).

The Word tells us elsewhere: “He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity: just and right is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4). The Psalmist reminds us that “The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works” (Psalm 145:17).

In declaring his trust in the Lord, the prophet Habakkuk indicated it was not contingent on any circumstances: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength…” (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

We often see both Old and New Testament saints giving thanks to God even in the middle of painful circumstances. While the personal testimonies and experiences are different, I imagine they would share one common sentiment: God is good.

Some of the most precious portions of Scripture to me are those in which God reveals His own heart of compassion toward His people. It’s the theme that brightens even the darkest story. We’re all familiar with the passage in Lamentations that speaks of the faithfulness, mercy, and compassion of the Lord. Then Jeremiah goes on to say, “But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men”.

God does not cause pain or withhold desire for no good purpose.

Isaiah breaks out in thanksgiving: “I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us…For He said, surely they are my people…In all their affliction He was afflicted…in His love and in His pity He redeemed them…” (Isaiah 63:7-9).

God sorrows in our sorrow; He is afflicted in our affliction. We do not have a High Priest who is insulated from our pain; He experiences it with us and has compassion on our weaknesses.

It is this God of love, kindness, and wisdom who composes my story and your story. Do we trust Him to do what He deems best? Are we content in His provision for and ordering of our life?

The Master Writer is weaving the days and circumstances of our lives into one story for His glory. Every daily page whispers His goodness, and even the darkest chapters are traced with hope, pointing to the beauty of His eternal purpose.

And that eternal purpose hints at the fact that the Author’s story doesn’t end with us, with this life. There is a “happily ever after” that’s already written, just awaiting publication. If you know Jesus, aren’t you looking forward to reading that story?

Look out, world. I have a YouTube channel. It’s still quite laughable in my mind, but alas, it now exists and I am now telling you about it.

All not-taking-myself-too-seriously aside, my first video seeks to answer the question, “What do we do with doubt? Where do we go with it?” I didn’t figure my channel needed much introduction besides simply jumping right in with something that matters to me, and I suspect, to many of you.

I hope you will find the discussion encouraging to you in your walk with the Lord, whether your current situation finds you steadily leaning on the everlasting arms or shakily hanging on for dear life.

You can find my first video here. If it’s a blessing to you and you’d like to see more videos of this kind, along with some practical home, life, and school management videos, please consider subscribing to my channel. Lord willing, this first video will not be my last.

Amazon links are affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase through that link, I will earn a few pennies, nickels, and dimes. I only link to products I would happily recommend even if no compensation were possible. 🙂

Do you have a vision for hospitality? Do you use your home as a place to welcome and refresh others? Here’s some reading material on the subject that I’ve been chewing on lately. I hope it will be an encouragement to you in this endeavor.

Mystie Winkler has written several articles on homemaking and hospitality lately that I have found quite helpful. Forget Pinterest or that magazine cover, Mystie’s tips get straight to the heart, encouraging us to be ready to show hospitality toward everyone who enters our home–by practicing on our own family members. Here’s the most recent article I’ve enjoyed.

Did you know that hospitality is a characteristic required of those in church leadership? Tim Challies reminds us that the hospitality that elders are to exemplify is to be a characteristic all believers should pursue.

I don’t usually read Christianity Today, but this article came to me recently by recommendation from another blogger. Have you considered God’s role of “home-making”? There’s good food for thought here, but I would suggest the conclusion we draw from this shouldn’t stop at awe and consolation for our souls (as wonderful as that is in and of itself!). We’ve been made in the image of God and we can reflect His care for humanity in our care for our homes–in fact, it’s both explicitly encouraged and commanded. All the same, if you are in a season in which you are overwhelmed by the mess, wondering if you’ll ever get things under control, take heart. As the article says, your God has prepared and is preparing a home for you. And He’s always on top of His game.

My father-in-law recently finished reading Alexander Strauch’s The Hospitality Commands to our church over our fellowship meal on Sunday afternoons. We took it about a chapter at a time and discussed how we might grow individually and as a church in showing hospitality. This is a great read if you want to go deeper than a few blog articles will take you.

As I’ve considered God’s call for His children to practice hospitality, I’ve been reminded of a metaphor from one of my favorite mommy books: Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic. The chapter entitled “Heavy Branches” likens our gifts and the things we produce to fruit on a tree.

In the side yard, right outside my window, were two old apple trees. And year after year they made apples. …these trees had been throwing apples on the ground every August for probably ninety years or so. It is something I love about fruit-bearing trees and bushes–that God told them to make something, and they do it enthusiastically. They don’t care about what happens to the fruit. They do not measure their efforts or fuss when no one appreciates it.

…What happens to all our fruit is not our problem. That doesn’t mean that we are not to care about the fruit. While it is on our branches, it is our life work. It is an offering to God, and we ought to care intensely about the quality of our fruit. But the branches are our responsibility; the ground is not.

May we joyfully produce fruit in our homes to bless our families and any who walk through our door–without being discouraged when an apple gets bruised or the beauty we sought to create gets overlooked. May we not grow weary in doing good–our God is at work in it to accomplish His purposes.

What’s your favorite book on hospitality? Have you read any good articles on the subject lately?

How have you been blessed by the hospitality of others?

What things get in the way of you opening up your home, and how can you, by God’s grace, overcome those obstacles?

If you’re in a tough season of life, what are some small ways you can show love and welcome to others?

I’m one of those crazy types that actually enjoys running. Once upon a time I even looked like a runner.

Over the years, running has filled several important roles for me: it’s been a way of escape, a way to burn off energy, to get or stay in shape, to cope, to get alone and talk to God, to enjoy sunshine and wildlife, to improve my running time, to compete, to show off, to win.

Admittedly, some of those are more virtuous motivations than others.

But this past Saturday I had an opportunity to run for a very different reason.

My local women’s running clinic was invited to participate in the sixth annual Arkansas Run for the Fallen, an apolitical 146-mile weekend-long event honoring service men and women who died in the line of duty since September 11, 2001. Our part was to join the team of running soldiers for one mile through the middle of town.

In the weeks leading up to the event, I thought about it quite a bit. I read the stories of the two Navy SEALs who would be remembered at the Hero Markers at the beginning and end of our course. I thought about my own grandparents and aunt and uncle who served in the Army Air Force and in the Navy.

And I felt quite small and pampered by comparison. Not exactly worthy to be running with people who have taken on so much personal risk for something bigger than themselves–or for people who have quite literally laid down their lives for others.

When Saturday came and our red-shirted local ladies assembled, the anticipation we all felt was a strange mix of excitement and sobriety. Soon the running servicemen arrived, paused to remember one fallen comrade, planted a flag in his name, and then we were off.

The usual “racer’s mindset” tried to assume its place in my thoughts, but there wasn’t any room for it. No room for looking ahead to see who you’re going to try to pass next–that wasn’t the goal. No room for pulling away from the crowd–the purpose this time was to get lost in the crowd, in the small sea of red. No room for going at your own pace–we had to keep pace with those who were leading us on. No room for thinking about how to position yourself for the best finish so you could point to your rank or time in the end–this run was intended to point to someone else.

It’s easy to get comfortable in our lives here in the West and forget that the blessings we enjoy have been paid for by others. So too as Christians, we can lose sight of the fact that our greatest, eternal blessings have been paid for by the Lord Jesus Himself. Sometimes our normal routines need to be shaken up a bit to give us new perspective.

That’s exactly what happened for me on Saturday. This whole experience has refreshed my view of the race set before us as Christians.

We “run with endurance” remembering those who have gone on before us and with our eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-4).

We encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)and cheer each other on rather than treating the gospel of God’s grace as a program for self-advancement and our fellow runners as competitors.

We “keep in step with [His] Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-26)–He sets the pace for us to follow, not the other way around.

Our run on Saturday morning lasted less than ten minutes, but the impact of running to honor someone else has been felt all week. And while my legs have been resting, the words of John the baptist have continued to run through my head: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

Let Him be seen as I run this race called life. Not me.

In a world that preaches so often that we are the most useful or influential when we place ourselves on a pedestal to be seen by others, we need to be reminded that it’s ok, right even, to live outside of the spotlight, to blend in with the crowd of those who live–who run–not for themselves, but for the glory and honor of Another.